* * *
“Still,” said Cassia a week later, as Gynelle had her stays tightened by their maid, “I don’t understand therealfuss. If Mage Blythesome isn’t levitating when he arrives, I’ll be sorely disappointed.”
“My goodness…” said Gynelle, smoothing down the sides of her gown as the maid buttoned it, “Don’t be quite so dramatic.” She really did have the best figure in the family, and her dress had an amazing effect. “They saythat it’s much more hidden than that. A mage doesn’t wear a sign around his neck, by any means.”
“I am half certain Mother thinks he does.”
“Never mind Mother,” said Gynelle with a soft smile.
An hour later, with light dresses and perfectly falling curls, the two eldest girls descended to meet their mother and Alyria.
“Oh Gynelle, you are a picture,” cried Mistress Retton. Her eyes scanned from Gynelle to Cassia and the admiration there fell several degrees. “Cassia will be there to support you in your day of triumph.” She bestowed a conciliatory pat on Cassia’s gloved hand. “If Mage Blythesome isn’t smitten by the dinner dance, I’ll eat my hat!”
Master Retton handed his daughters and wife into the carriage as the chittering from their mother continued. After the short ride the family alighted from the carriage, Cassia last, as she hung on her father’s arm.
“How is he really, Father?” she whispered into his ear.
“Truthfully,” he said, looking around and for once employing a genuine, unaffected tone, “he’s much more normal and respectable than I had hoped for.”
“Even…despite his magical abilities?” Cassia studied her father’s grey eyes.
He huffed and dropped his tone. “You know I find it fortunate that not too many men with magical abilities have made their way to Meryton, for you and I know the dangers of magic obscuring our judgement,” he squeezed her hand. “but, Blythesome seems tolerable.”
“You’d think it favorable—you'd like it—if Gynelle...” Cassia smiled at her father.
“I would approve, yes,” he said. “Though anyone who jumps to those conclusions before meeting the man is daft.” He shot a withering look toward his wife. “People should take marriage seriously.” Cassia nodded, trying to forget about her parents’ strained relationship as the two walked together through the threshold and into the assembly hall.
It was a familiar scene to Cassia: the large, white walled room with brown, wood-cased windows, and a hall leading to where the refreshments were being served. She also recognized everyone in the room. No Mage in sight. Immediately Mistress Retton found Magess Lywin, her nearest neighbor. Almost instantly the two gossips huddled near the punch and whispered much too loudly for Cassia’s liking. Gynelle came to her sister and pulled her over to Miss Cidel Lywin, the Lywin’s oldest daughter, who was telling all of the news. “Mage Blythesome hasn’t arrived yet but I’m sure you’ve heard about his abilities?”
“Oh Cidel, not you too!” said Cassia.
“My father swears Blythesome hinted of it himself in their first meeting.”
“Perhaps one of us should ask him, if he does choose to come,” said Cassia.
No sooner had she finished, than the sound of the large wooden door shut and two tall men stood in the arched entranceway. Cassia and Gynelle exchanged a glance as Cidel huddled toward them and whispered. “The jovial looking one, with auburn hair, is our Mage Blythesome.”
Instantly he wasn’t the one that worried Cassia. “And the one with the dark hair and serious eyes?” Her critical gaze didn’t trust the haughty aura that seemed to spill off of Blythesome’s friend.
“That...is High Mage Gaius Darkwood, of Pemberley in Derbyshire. Ten thousand pounds per annum, and his home sits on one of the strongest ley lines in the country. They say he draws much power from it. His magic power lies in business; apparently he is one of the most persuasive negotiators in the country. He has amassed quite a fortune, just like his father before him. But Blythesome...that is true ability, true power.”
Cassia thought she watched Mage Blythesome survey the room and land his gaze on them—or on Gynelle, most likely.
“What do you mean?” asked Gynelle, clearly entranced as she held the man’s gaze across the room. The red-headed, tall Blythesome smiled widely toward them. His friend, however, looked like he might burn the room down with his disapproving scowl.
Cidel Lywin continued her whisper. “It iswellknown that he can turn things into gold. Although it is rumored he is not completely skilled at it, or that it somehow has its limits—”
“I see,” said Cassia. Magical abilities abounded in the higher classes. Anciently, she knew, Merlin had bestowed his powers on his friends. Once it started, everyone tried to be his friend, resulting in various, though sometimes diluted forms of magical powers. Still the people of higher ranks would be taught as children to hone their powers and then could come before court to showcase their abilities and earn the title of high mage, mage, or master depending on one’s level of ability. Infrequently, someone might be bestowed an honorary title, like Master Lywin, without any real magical ability, after doing a great favor to the crown or by marriage.
Cassia pursed her mouth recalling all of these ranks. She had heard of the great, powerful people in London and Bath and the north country, people who toyed with water, weather, crops—but power to turn things to gold? Preposterous. Cassia dismissed Cidel’s words. Like herself, Cidel had no natural abilities. Where Cassia dismissed such grandeur, though, her friend craved it. Within ten minutes the entire room buzzed with different tales. Cassia believed none of them.
Mistress Retton could not leave her girls alone once her target had arrived, and soon Master Retton was introducing his three daughters to Mage Blythesome and his stoic friend.
“And may I ask the eldest Miss Retton for a dance,” said Mage Blythesome with a smile, as soon as the introductions were made. Cassia had been watching him during the whole of the interaction—his face always came back to her sister.
“I would be delighted,” Gynelle answered, if not loudly, quickly enough that Cassia thought her sister might be truly excited.
Halfway through the evening Cassia found herself without a partner, having danced with two officers and even Mage Blythesome once. Now she shared a bench in the corner next to Cidel, who was also partner-less, on account of the lack of gentlemen.
